As Chinese New Year celebrations continue to draw attention worldwide, Indonesian Ambassador to China Djauhari Oratmangun has praised China Media Group (CMG)'s Spring Festival Gala aired on Monday night -- the 2026 Chinese New Year's Eve, calling it a brilliant blend of cultures and a must-see for audiences everywhere.
Djauhari Oratmangun and his wife Wiwik Oratmangun were presented with a unique gift from China Media Group: the official mascot of its 2026 Spring Festival Gala, a horse-shaped stuffed toy commemorating the newly arrived Chinese New Year, which is a Year of the Horse in the 12-animal Chinese zodiac.
Reflecting on the dazzling show that ushered in the Chinese New Year, the ambassador described it as unparalleled in its scale and artistry.
"As the largest televised new year show in the world, it left us a lasting impression. This year's Spring Festival Gala was a perfect example of how art, culture and heritage come together in a truly spectacular way. The flawless organizing, breathtaking beauty and vibrant use of color made the Gala a remarkable celebration, one capable of bringing cultures together on a global level. Amazing performances," he said.
Commonly known as "Chunwan" in Chinese, the Gala has aired live every Chinese New Year's Eve since 1983, and is widely seen as a major cultural symbol of the festival.
The ambassador also emphasized the Gala's unique ability to showcase the richness of Chinese tradition while appealing to an international audience.
For those who have yet to experience the annual spectacle, he warmly encouraged them to tune in, not just for the year ahead, but for generations of celebrations to come.
"If you have not yet seen the 2026 China Media Group's Spring Festival Gala, you absolutely should be prepared to be truly amazed with the performances of the Gala this year, next year and many years to come," he said.
China's biggest night of the year, the Spring Festival Gala, proved a roaring success, shattering TV records. This year's event, themed around "Joy and Auspiciousness, Festive and Cheerful," served a fusion of timeless tradition and cutting-edge innovation alongside the New Year's Eve dinner, with Chinese and foreign viewers worldwide savoring the spectacle like never before.
Indonesian ambassador praises CMG Spring Festival Gala as global spectacle
American singer John Legend expressed his astonishment at the scale and quality of the China Media Group (CMG)'s 2026 Spring Festival Gala and his honor at being a part of the grand television spectacle which has been recognized as the world's most-watched annual TV show.
The hours-long gala was aired on Monday evening on the eve of the Chinese New Year, with a carefully curated line-up of performances, high-tech special effects, and entertaining variety acts guiding viewers towards the new year -- which this year ushered in the Year of the Horse.
As the clock ticked past midnight on Tuesday, Legend took to the stage to perform his chart-topping hit "All of Me", before teaming up with French actress and singer Helene Rolles to deliver a touching rendition of the main theme song of the classic Disney movie "Beauty and the Beast".
In an exclusive interview with the China Global Television Network (CGTN), Legend said he was delighted to participate in the TV extravaganza.
"Wow, I've been so amazed by all the other artists that I've seen. The dancers, the singers, the performers. It's such a beautiful, festive show and I'm so honored to be a part of it," said Legend.
While China's Spring Festival is the most cherished time for celebrating family reunions and making people-to-people connections, Legend felt the message of love in his hit song 'All of Me' was especially fitting for the occasion, and shared the story behind how the classic 2013 hit was born.
"These songs are all about love, and I think music is really in a lot of ways about celebrating love and celebrating connection and celebrating our shared humanity. And I think it's a great, great way to bring in the new year here in China. I'm doing 'All of Me' at this performance. And no matter where I perform 'All of Me' around the world, people sing along. People feel connected to the song, people have memories associated with the song, whether it's their wedding or their first date or whatever feelings they have about love and relationships, that song has meant a lot to a lot of people all around the world, and it just shows you that deep down, we're all the same," he said.
"I wrote it right before I got married to my wife and she did cry the first time she heard it, and the first time I sang it in front of an audience was at our wedding. And we filmed the music video that same week in Italy during the week of our wedding. And so it will always be really meaningful to me, but I'm grateful that it's so meaningful to other people as well," he added.
In addition to Legend, Irish pop group Westlife also performed during the gala, as they gave an entertaining version of their iconic ballad, "My Love", while veteran U.S. singer Lionel Ritchie was among the other international stars who appeared in an earlier segment.
The Spring Festival, or the Chinese New Year, is the most important traditional holiday for the Chinese people, and watching the Spring Festival Gala, also known as "Chunwan", is a cherished part of the celebrations every year in hundreds of millions of Chinese homes.
Since first being broadcast in 1983, the gala has been recognized by Guinness World Records as the most-watched annual television program on the planet.
US singing star John Legend shares honor at being part of 2026 Spring Festival Gala
